Britain Expels Trio Of Syrians, Cites Terrorism

May 11, 1986|By New York Times

LONDON — The British government announced the expulsion Saturday of three Syrian diplomats after Damascus officials refused to waive diplomatic immunity and allow police to question the three in connection with terrorism in Britain.

Syria has been accused of involvement in the attempt April 17 to smuggle a bomb aboard an Israeli jumbo jet at Heathrow Airport. But according to a British official, police wanted to question the three men about ''more than one incident.''

Syria has consistently denied any role in terrorism in Britain.

The statement by the Foreign Office made no specific allegations against the three men, all of whom are attaches in the embassy in London.

Ewen Fergusson, the Foreign Office undersecretary of state, called in the Syrian ambassador, Loutof Allah Haydar, and told him the three men had to leave Britain within seven days. The men, three of 12 attaches in the Syrian Embassy, were identified as Zaki Oud, Ahmad Abdul Latif and Mounir Mouna.

Officially the British action is called a ''request for withdrawal,'' but it is in fact an order to leave. If the three do not leave Britain within seven days they would lose their diplomatic immunity and then probably would be arrested, British officials said.